Stop playing politics with NDDC, group tells Ogunmola’s critics

Ilaje National Alliance Movement (INAMO) has warned critics against frustrating the emergence of Charles Ogunmola, who was nominated alongside 14 others by President Muhammadu Buhari for the position of the Executive Director (Projects) on the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) management board.

The group noted it was the first time an indigene of Ipele, Owo Council of Ondo State, would be nominated for such a position, and appealed to the Senate not to succumb to blackmail against him, adding that his nomination breached no section of the NDDC Act.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, yesterday, the Chairman of INAMO, Alex Omotehinse, alleged that some Ilaje elite were already negotiating to trade Executive Director, Project given to Ondo State to Imo government, stating that the state shares equal right to the position as an oil-producing state.

He also alleged that those against the nomination of Ogunmola from Ilaje have also flooded the Senate with petitions against Gbenga Edema, the Commissioner-nominee of Ondo State on the Board of NDDC because there is no oil in his town in Mahin Kingdom within the same Ilaje Council.

He said: “The foregoing is a retrogressive narrative being pursued by some enemies of the state, who do not want Ondo State to enjoy the benefits of having her son as an Executive Director for the first time since the inception of the NDDC, 22 years ago. These folks do not mind selling their heritage just to satisfy the cravings of their parochial and evil desire to the detriment of the people of Ondo State. Out of hatred for where Ogunmola hails from, we are now being told that these opposition figures flooding Abuja with petitions against Ogunmola have already concluded that other states can take the position of Executive Director, Project if an Ilaje indigene will not be given the position. As a matter of emphasis, these politicians from Ilaje are already negotiating with Imo State Government on how to trade off the ED Project given to Ondo State.

“We hereby want to let the whole world know that if God forbid, the nomination of Ogunmola is scuttled and Ondo-State loses the position of the ED project to another state, the Elites from Ilaje should be held responsible.”